UDST President Dr. Salem Al-Naemi with some of the awardees during the ceremony.
Doha, Qatar: The University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) honoured its highest-achieving students during its distinguished Annual Academic Awards Ceremony this week.
A total of 50 exceptional undergraduate and graduate students from diverse academic fields were recognised across eight award categories, such as the ‘Academic Excellence Award, Academic Merit Award, Academic Distinction Award, Foundation Program Award, Industrial Trades Dean Award, Achievement Award, Applied Research Award, and Innovation Award’.
The ceremony was held in the presence of UDST President Dr. Salem Al-Naemi and guest speaker Hind Al Kuwari, Talent Acquisition Specialist at Oryx and Growth Advisor at the alumni-owned venture Adeer, among other officials.
Dr. Salem Al-Naemi, President of UDST, stated, “Recognising our students’ exceptional achievements reminds us of the boundless potential that education can unlock. Each award presented today represents a story of determination, curiosity, and purpose, qualities that define the UDST community. Our role as educators is to cultivate these strengths and guide our students toward becoming innovators and changemakers who will contribute to Qatar’s growth and global progress. Today’s celebration is a reflection of our shared belief in excellence as a way of life.”
Speaking to The Peninsula, Dr. Shahrokh Esfandiari, Dean, College of Health Sciences at the UDST, highlighted the importance of celebrating students not only for academic excellence but for their broader contributions.
“There are rigorous criteria as they have to have good academic standing, academic achievements, high achievers, but we also have students who have been instrumental in running research protocols and assisting at the undergrad level. Those efforts are absolutely recognised.”
Dr. Esfandiari also emphasised the unique culture within the College of Health Sciences, one rooted in close-knit cohorts, shared experiences, and deep professional bonds.
He said, “These are students, especially in our college, the same cohort that actually come together and they graduate and become sort of members of the same family. They create this bond, and that’s a treasure that will stay with them for the rest of their lives and professional careers.”
The dean noted that competition within the college is especially fierce, with exceptionally high-performing students entering the UDST’s health programmes. “We have almost 110 students who have achieved a 4.0 GPA; these are absolutely amazing achievements,” he said.
He also mentioned that the nature of health sciences, rooted in human interaction, clinical training, and professional ethics, sets the college apart. The dean expressed hope for expanding recognition opportunities, particularly at the college level.
Each of the Academic Excellence and Academic Merit Awards honourees were presented with financial prizes and official University certificates, with their achievements formally recorded on the transcripts.
UDST’s Annual Awards Ceremony underscores the institution’s commitment to fostering a culture of high achievement and innovation, solidifying its role as a signature event that celebrates and motivates outstanding contributions to the community. The ceremony concluded with applause, pride, and the shared belief that the achievements of today’s students will translate into meaningful contributions to Qatar’s workforce and society.
“The sense of accomplishment starts now, and with God’s will, when they become accomplished professionals, they’ll be able to give back as alumni, and we are counting on that,” Dr. Esfandiari added.
